If you’re looking to install a true 3″ coil suspension lift on your new Jeep JK wrangler and need to do it on a budget, few kits can come close to matching the quality, completeness and affordable price of the Full Traction Suspension Jeep JK Wrangler 3″ Economy Lift Kit. This kit is easy to install and can be done in an afternoon with basic SAE and metric tools.For the purposes of this write-up, I helped Mark (aka- Rubimon on JK-Forum.com) to install this lift kit on his new Graystone Pearl 2007 Jeep JK Wrangler 2-Door Rubicon. I should note that in addition to the Full Traction 3″ Economy Lift, Mark also opted to buy a set of Full Traction M-Force monotube nitro-charged shocks to complete the kit.

I have tried very hard to be as thorough as possible and to the best of my knowledge, this write-up should be applicable with just about any 2-3″ lift kit out there today.

Please take the time to read over all the instructions prior to installing your lift.

Special Thanks

I would like to give special thanks to Mark
(aka - Rubimon)
for allowing me to assist him with the installation of his new Full Traction 3″ Economy Lift Kit. Without him, this write-up would not have been possible.

Instructions

This is a pic of all the parts you should get with your new Full Traction Suspension Jeep JK Wrangler 3″ Economy Lift Kit. Take some time to make sure you have all the parts shown as well as all the tools listed on the left prior to starting this project.

1. Park your Jeep JK Wrangler on a level surface, chock your rear tires, raise the front end of it one side at a time from the axle using a tall floor jack and then set it back down onto (2) jack stands, each placed just behind the lower control arm frame mounts.

2. Remove the wheels off your Jeep JK Wrangler using a 19mm lug wrench or socket and set them out of the way for now. Leave the floor jack under front the axle to help support it.

3. Using a 5/8″ wrench, hold your Jeep JK Wrangler’s shock can in place just below the upper shock mount to keep it from spinning. Then, remove the stud mount nut above using a 16mm wrench.

6. Using an 18mm socket and a 19mm wrench to hold the ball joint in place, remove the nuts securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front sway bar links to the front sway bar itself. Allow the sway bar to dangle in place.

7. Remove the bolt securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front track bar to the front axle mount using a 21mm socket. This can be a tough bolt to remove and an impact wrench or breaker bar will help to make this job easier. Once removed, set aside the flagged nut and leave the track bar attached to the frame.

8. Carefully lower your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front axle until the factory front coils can be slipped out of the upper perch and be removed completely with ease.

9. With the front coils removed, clean off the lower spring perch, place one of the CA1003 2”X3” Aluminum Bump Stop Extension that came with the Full Traction kit on top of it and use it as a template to mark off the location of the center hole.

10. Set aside the CA1003 2”X3” Aluminum Bump Stop Extension and mark the center of where you will need to drill with a center punch and hammer.

11. The space you’ll have to work with is limited and you may find that removing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rubber bump stops will help to give you a bit more room to get a hand drill under it straight. To remove the bump stop, simply grab it and pull firmly till it pops off.

12. Use a 1/8″ metal drilling bit to make a pilot hole in the center of your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front lower spring perches.

13. Drill out the pilot holes you just made in your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front lower spring perches using an 11/32″ metal drilling bit.

14. Using a 9/16″ socket and one of the 3/8″x2-1/2″ self-tapping bolts provided with the Full Traction kit, slowly thread the holes you just drilled out by ratcheting the bolt on. Make sure to back out often and take your time.

15. Reinstall the factory rubber bump stop if you had removed it, work your new Full Traction coil over it and begin positioning it over the lower spring perch. Even with your front axle sitting as low as it can go, this task may still prove to be a bit difficult as the new coils are significantly taller than stock. You may want to use a set of spring compressors to assist you here.

16. Slip in a CA1003 2”X3” Aluminum Bump Stop Extension up under the new Full Traction front coils just as you seat it onto your Jeep JK Wrangler’s lower spring perch.

17. Insert the 3/8″x2-1/2″ self-tapping bolt through the middle of the Aluminum Bump Stop Extension and secure it in place using a 9/16″ socket, a 3″ ratchet extension and working through the coils. Tighten the bolt to 30 ft. lbs. of torque.

18. Depending on what shocks you decided to get with your Full Traction 3″ Economy Lift Kit, you may find that bar pins will have been pre-installed into the lower shock bushing. If this is the case with your shocks, you’ll need to remove them and replace them with the metal sleeves that’ll be included with the shock hardware. A bench vice will help out a lot to press out the existing bar pin enough for you to pry it out and it will help you to press in the new metal sleeves.

19. Assemble one of the large cupped washers onto your front shock mounting stud so that the concave side is facing up and then follow it up with one of the polyurethane bushings with the stepped side facing up.

20. Slip the front shock mounting stud up into your Jeep JK Wrangler’s upper mount, slide on the other polyurethane bushing with the stepped sided pointing down and then cap it off with the other cupped washer.

21. Secure the front shock mounting stud in place with the new nut and jam nut that should have been provided with shock. You will need either (2) 17mm wrenches to do this or an 11/16″ will make a good substitute. Tighten this nut to 17 ft. lbs. of torque.

22. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, secure your front shocks to your Jeep JK Wrangler’s axle mount using the factory hardware and tighten the nut and bolt to 56 ft. lbs. of torque.

NOTE: If you’ve purchased a Full Traction Adjustable Front Track Bar, click on the link below for installation instructions:

24. Using a 1/2″ socket and wrench, install the longer 5/16″x2-3/4″ grade 8 bolt, washer and lock nut through the outside track bar mount hole closest to the passenger side wheel on your Jeep JK Wrangler. Then, install the shorter 5/16″x3/4″ grade 8 bolt, washer and lock nut through the inside bracket hole as shown in the sample photo to the left.

25. Tighten the factory track bar mount bolt to 125 ft. lbs. of torque and then tighten the 5/16″ side support bolts to 45-50 ft. lbs. of torque.

26. With the engine off, put your key in the ignition, make sure that the steering wheel is unlocked and then have a friend turn it in one direction or the other until you can line up your Jeep JK Wrangler’s track bar with the mounting hole on the 50-7127 Front Trac Bar Bracket. Then, secure it in place by installing the 9/16″x3″ grade 8 bolt, washer and lock nut supplied with the kit.

28. Reinstall your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front wheels, lower it back down on the ground, tighten the lug nuts to 95 ft. lbs. of torque, remove the wheel chocks from the rear and place them up front.

29.
Lift the rear end up from the differential using a tall floor jack and then set it back down onto (2) jack stands, each placed just behind the lower control arm frame mounts. Remove the wheels off your Jeep JK Wrangler using a 19mm lug wrench or socket and set them out of the way for now. Leave the floor jack under front the axle to help support it.

31. Using an 18mm socket and a 19mm wrench to hold the ball joint in place, remove the nuts securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear sway bar links to the rear sway bar itself. Allow the sway bar to dangle in place.

32. Using a 16mm socket and a 12″ ratchet extension, loosen one of the two upper shock mount bolts and then completely remove the other.

33. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, remove the bolt and nut securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear shocks to the lower axle mounts. Then, remove the shocks completely by sliding them out of the remaining loosened upper mount bolts.

34. Remove the rear track bar bolt and nut from your Jeep JK Wrangler’s upper frame mount using a 21mm socket and a crescent wrench. As was the case with the front track bar, this can be a tough bolt to remove and a breaker bar will help to make this job easier.

35. Loosely install the 50-740504 Rear Track Bar Bracket onto your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear frame mount using one of the 9/16″x3″ grade 8 bolt to hold it in place. Using the bracket as a template, measure 1-3/4″ up from the center of bottom hole to locate where you will need to drill out the upper hole on the factory mount.

36. Remove the 50-740504 Rear Track Bar Bracket and position it over your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear track bar frame mount to double check the accuracy of the drilling point mark you made.

37. Mark the center of where you will need to drill with a center punch and hammer.

39. Drill out the pilot hole you just created using a 1/2″ metal drilling bit.

40. Reinstall the 50-740504 Rear Track Bar Bracket onto your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear frame mount and secure it in place by fastening a 1/2″x1-1/4″ grade 8 bolt, washer and nut to the top bolt hole. You will need to use a 3/4″ socket and wrench for this job. Tighten this bolt and lock nut to 125 ft. lbs. of torque.

41. Install the 50-740505 Rear Track Bar Strap Bracket over your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear frame mount and secure it in place by fastening a 1/2″x1-1/4″ grade 8 bolt, washer and lock nut to the bottom bolt hole. You will need to use a 3/4″ socket and wrench for this job. Tighten this bolt and lock nut to 125 ft. lbs. of torque. Then, loosely install the 9/16″x3″ grade 8 bolt, washer and lock nut through the rear frame mount holding both sides of the strap in place. This bolt will be tightened after you reinstall the rear track bar.

42. Unhook your Jeep JK Wrangler’s emergency brake cables from the hanger bolted on the bottom of the tub. Or, you can unbolt the hanger all together. This is necessary in order for you to get your rear axle to droop enough to install your new coils.

43. Using a 10mm socket, unbolt the rear brake line brackets which are fastened to the outside frame rails of your Jeep JK Wrangler. Leave them dangling at this time.

44. Slowly lower your rear axle being mindful of the ESP wiring. If they get too tight, you may want to clip the plastic ties holding them in place and then zip tie them back on later. Once your axle is dropped low enough, your factory coils should just about fall out and can be removed with ease. Set aside the upper rubber isolators as they will be reused.

45. Place the factory rubber isolator on top of your new Full Traction coils and install them on the rear of your Jeep JK Wrangler making sure that the isolators and coils are properly seated in their perches. Again, this may prove to be a bit difficult especially on the passenger side if you have a 2-Door JK as the gas tank is in the way and a set of spring compressors should help to make this job easier to do.

47. Secure your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear brake lines to the new extension brackets using the 1/4″x3/4″ bolts, washers and lock nuts provided with the kit. You will need a 7/16″ socket and wrench for this job.

48. Place the (2) 50-7101 Rear Bump Stop Blocks on top your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear axle bump pads and secure them in place using the 3/8″x3/4″ bolts, washers and nuts provided with the kit. You will need (2) 9/16″ wrenchs for the job but a 14mm wrench will act as a good substitute.

49. Using an 18mm socket and 19mm wrench install the new 70-4175 12” Straight Rear Sway Bar Links onto your factory sway bar using the 12×60mm bolts and nuts provided with the kit.

50. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, secure the new 70-4175 12” Straight Rear Sway Bar Links to the lower axle mounts using the factory hardware.

51. Install your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear factory track bar into the new 50-740504 Rear Track Bar Bracket and secure it in place using the 9/16″x3″ grade 8 bolt, washer and nut provided with the kit. Tighten both the bracket strap bolt and track bar bolt hand tight for now and up to 125 ft. lbs. of torque once your Jeep is back on the ground with the full weight of the vehicle on it. You will need a 13/16″ socket and a 7/8″ wrench for this job.

52. Make sure your new rear shocks have the appropriate bar pin installed. Then, using a 16mm socket and a 12″ ratchet extension, install them onto the rear upper shock mounts on your Jeep JK Wrangler using the factory hardware. Tighten these bolts to 37 ft. lbs. of torque.

54. Reinstall your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear wheels, lower it back down on the ground, tighten the lug nuts to 95 ft. lbs. of torque and make sure to tighten both the rear track bar bolt and bracket strap bolt to 125 ft. lbs. of torque. Remove the wheel chocks from the front.

Jeep JK Wrangler X & Sahara ModelsIf you have a Jeep JK Wrangler X or Sahara, proceed to install the FTS306071 JK NEW GEN. Front Sway Bar Link Kit using the new 12mmx65mm bolts and nuts provided with the kit up top and the factory hardware for the lower axle mount.Jeep JK Wrangler Rubicon Models
Mark’s Jeep JK Wrangler is a Rubicon edition and because it has an electronic sway bar disconnect system up front, the Full Traction disconnect links should not be installed. Instead, you will need to take your old factory rear sway bar links and install them onto your front sway bar. Needless to say, the rest of this installation write-up will be from the perspective of a Rubicon model.

55. Using an 18mm socket and a 19mm wrench to hold the ball joint in place, install the nuts securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear sway bar links to the front sway bar itself. Tighten the nuts to 75 ft. lbs. of torque.

56. Using the factory hardware, secure the rear sway bar links to your Jeep JK Wrangler’s lower front axle mounts and tighten them to 75 ft. lbs. of torque. You will need an 18mm socket and wrench to do this job.

57. You will now need to re-center your steering wheel as it will now be off. Using a 15mm wrench, loosen the 2 nuts on the turnbuckle as shown in the pic to the left. Then, rotate the turnbuckle clockwise or counter clockwise as needed while a friend watches the steering wheel (or you periodically check on it yourself) go back to center. Once re-centered, secure the nuts and take it for a drive to check your steering wheel. This may take a few tries to get it on 100% but that’s all there is to it.

ATTENTION: For people who will be keeping their factory wheels, you will need to install your rear sway bar links on the inside as shown in the photos below. This is required because the back spacing on the factory wheels will cause your wheel weights and/or wheels themselves to rub on the upper link bolts.

That’s it, you’re done. You now have a 3″ taller Jeep JK Wrangler that’s ready to stand on a set of new 35″ tires. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Additional Photos

Before

After

After with 35″ Toyo Open Country M/T’s

186 Comments so far

Barry J Barclay December 30th, 2006
7:21 am

That is a nice looking jeep and love the rims and tires. How does it ride and how can I get you to do mine?

After giving it a test drive myself, I can honestly say that it rides great, but I think it would handle better with the addition of an adjustable track bar (as opposed to a relocation bracket) and adjustable upper control arms up front to dial in the caster. Of course, this is just a basic economy kit and for what it is, it’s great.

As far as doing your lift, well, if you live in the SoCal area or are at least willing to drive out here, I would be more than happy to help you out as well.

Eddie

Tyler December 30th, 2006
3:01 pm

Hey Eddie, great write up, now your comment atthe end intrigues me. So you are recommending the Premium lift over the economy?

Well sure I am but why stop there? Heck, I’d recommend the Ultimate lift kit if you have the cash. I mean, who wouldn’t want all the bells an whistles if you could afford it. But, in the end, we are talking about an “economy” kit here and for what it is and what it does, I think it’s a great kit. And, I should point out that it can be easily upgraded in the future as funds permit.

Hi Jason, since the JK is not mine, I can’t give you specifics but from what Mark has told me, there is some power loss but not as bad as he would have tought. Also, I’m pretty sure he got the computer flash TSB done and maybe this helped as well.

Hi J.Ward, the tires are in fact 35×12.50’s but you should be able to run 13.50’s no problem assuming you have wheels with less back spacing (maybe 4.5″ or less) or wheel spacers installed.

Eddie

Tony January 21st, 2007
3:19 am

I am thinking about getting this kit for my 2003 TJ, do you feel like all the comments above apply? I have heard good things about this kit for the TJ…just seeing if you agree.

Hey Tony, if you’re asking about the 3″ lift for the JK, you will not need an SYE/CV driveshaft or adjustable rear upper control arms. If you’re asking about a TJ lift, please email me at eddie@4×4xplor.com and I will be more than happy to help you there

Eddie

John January 31st, 2007
1:27 am

I just recently purchased a 2007 Wrangler X and was looking to put a 2″ body kit on it with some 33″ tires (305/70/16). Would you reccommend this/would it fit?

Hi John, is it safe to assume you meant to say “body lift”? If so, I wouldn’t recommend anything taller than a 1″ kit and yes, they should allow you to install 33’s. Or, if you installed a 2″ “budget boost” (coil spacer), that would do the trick too.

Eddie

Trey Davis February 2nd, 2007
6:29 pm

Thinking of purchasing a JK. But it must be a “pimp”. With your configuration, what is the overall height of the vehicle. Can’t have it sitting out in the Missouri weather.

Hey Eddie, I am installing the 3″ FT Ultimate lift with the same tires.. Actually 35×12.5×17 using the stock wheels.. Do you think I will be able to just use 1.5″ wheel spaces and not have an issue.. Thanks.. Jay

Just bought a 07 Wrangler X and looking to put on the 3″ lift above. Does this lift omit the warrenty?

Chris March 18th, 2007
12:29 pm

Dumb question - can anyone offer help on how to “re-center” my steering wheel? I hit something rather hard the other day and my steering wheel rotated about 90 degrees - in its current position, it obstructs my view of the speedometer. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hey Chris,
In all honesty, you really need to have your suspension components examined carefully. If a hit caused your steering to change that much, there is a good chance that you have damaged something like a bent control arm or drag link or something.

Eddie

shane March 23rd, 2007
12:04 am

Eddie will the electronic sway bar disconnect system up front, still work? What replaces the rear sway bar? I want to lift my new Rubicon but I still want everything to work like factory as much as possible.

Hi Shane, Yes the e-discos work just fine. As you may or may not have read, the rear links come up front and then the rears are replaced with new links.

Eddie

nick March 25th, 2007
2:56 pm

i want to lift my 07 rubi but i don’t want to replace any parts that i don’t have to. it comes with some pretty good factory specs. i just want a 3 to 4 lift to keep my winch dry. what lift and size tires do you recommend

Zak March 25th, 2007
8:32 pm

Hey Eddie
I have ordered 3″ Ulitimate FT lift kit with M force momotube gas shocks. I am also putting micket thompson 35″ with 17″ mickey thompson wheels plus i am repalcing the front stock bumper with Mopar steel tubular bumper, is this OK will i have any issues like rubbing or any thing i should be craeful off not to forget i am converting the kit from left handdrive to right hand drive on my JK

Hi Nick,
The Full Traction 3″ Economy lift will allow you to install 35″ tires and will get you to where you want to be without changing too many parts. If you can afford to get the Premium or Ultimate lift instead, you will replace more parts but will also be able to dial in your ride a lot better.

Hi Zak,
You should be fine with this setup so long as you make sure to get your wheels with 4.5″ of back spacing. And, depending on the actual measurement of your 35’s go, you may need to trim the body pinch seam in the rear to prevent rubbing of your tread.

Eddie

Tony S March 27th, 2007
12:23 pm

First off great write up! Second what did you guys do to correct the castor angle?? Did you use realignment cams or nothing at all?

In my opinion, cam bolts are a terrible solution for correcting caster. They require the notching out of your control arm axle mounts and make it difficult to keep the bolts tight especially if you ever decide to upgrade to adjustable control arms in the future. And, to answer your question specifically, we installed a set of Full Traction adjustable upper control arms and shortened the lenght of them by about 3/8″ (max possible) to bring the caster angle back to about 4-5°.

Eddie

David March 31st, 2007
1:58 pm

Hi thanks for the great articles, but the pictures really bring each step togather for me. I am looking real hard at this and the tera-flex 3 inch kit, can they both be upgraded and does this mean that the difference in the kits is lack of adjustable contol arms and track bar.

Bill April 1st, 2007
7:19 pm

I have a 2007 2 door X JK. I got confused by the question and answer above.
Is a drive line replacement/modification required when lifting the JK with this kit?
I will be replacing my 16 inch JK X wheels with 17 inch JK Rubicon wheels, will that be ok?
Does the full featured kit include the adjustable control arms to make alignment easier?

Josh April 1st, 2007
8:02 pm

Question about the bump stop for the fronts. I installed the fronts today.. but the spring doesn’t seem to fit around it properly. Are they even necessary? I have not seen many kits with this.. and I am thinking of just removing them all together. (CA1003)

Also, could you explain how to re-center the steering wheel when it is all complete?

I HAVE JUST ORDERED A 07 4DR RUBY.CAN U GUYS RECCOMEND THE BEST WAY TO LIFT? 35 INCH TIRES ARE THE PREFERED TIRE SIZE.I WANT THE LIFT TO BE DONE RIGHT AS FAR AS PERFORMANCE GOES.WHAT GEARS ARE RECOMMENDED TO GET FACTORY PERFORMANCE?

Bryan A April 7th, 2007
9:25 pm

Lawrence, What lift and tire package did you install? Looks great!!!!

Dale May 11th, 2007
3:47 pm

Eddie,

I have a 07 4-door and was looking at the same setup but maybe with Cooper tires. Do you have any info on how your upgrade changed the MPH, acceleration and breaking performance? Also, how is the ride, stiff or bouncy? What about the third break light, any adjustments to get it to fit?

Hi David,
Yes, this kit is just lacking new adjustable control arms and track bars. Otherwise, it is completely upgradable.

Hi Bill,
New drive lines are not required with this lift and your new wheels will work just fine. As far the Ultimate kit goes, yes, it comes with all the control arms and track bars you will need to dial in your ride.

Hi Josh,
Yes, the bump stops are absolutely necessary to prevent the over compression of your coils. Kits that don’t come with them are incomplete and I would not recommend using them. As far as recentering the steering wheel goes, please follow step 57.

Hi Lawrence,
Great shots, thanks for sharing!

Hi Sidney,
The best way to lift your Jeep is to install a Full Traction Ultimate lift. This will give you everything you need to dial in your ride and will clear 35″ tires just fine. As far as gears go, you’ll want 4.88’s to get you back to where you want to be.

Hi Dale,
Unfortunately, there is no fix for the speedo at this time. Unless you regear, you will feel a noticable loss in power with 35’s. Breaking is the same. Regarding the ride, it is in my opinion better than stock - firm but not harsh and extremely flexable on the trail. Also, the 3rd brake light still fits fine. As far as where to get tires go, I would recommend checking out http://www.4WD.com

Eddie

Len May 18th, 2007
9:01 am

Eddie Great job and info!I will have a 2dr sahara next week(6spd).I will use 285/75 16s trxss or toyoMCs with a 2in. lift.I use it everyday to work,with about 40mi xway.What way did your mpg go with gear reduction via larger tires?I could use an idea about a lift kit(2in).Thanks,Iwill send before&aft pics.Len

Hi Len,
Unfortunately, with bigger tires comes some reduction in MPG. It just can’t be helped. Also, I went with 5.13’s to gain a bit more power and so for me, my MPG went down even more. However, since you are only going with 285’s, you might want to just stick with your stock gearing.

Eddie

Bill Valentine May 21st, 2007
1:15 pm

Eddie,

You mentioned the adjustable track bar would help. What type of driving problem would this correct? I installed the Skyjacker 2.5″ lift with Nitro shocks on my JK Unlimited. The kit does not come with a front track bar relocation bracket and Skyjacker insists it is not needed. I also installed the Skyjacker sway bar disconnect links which have simple eurothane through links as opposed to the factory swivel joint up top. Lift came out close to 2.75″. Unfortunately, my ride quality is significantly worse. I had it re-aligned at the dealer but it doesn’t track well. ESP kicks in quite often during constant radius turns like a freeway on ramp. It looks like the front wheels are up to 1/2″ shifted to the driver side due to the track bar. Do you think the adjustable track bar would correct this? Also, do I need a better quality disconnect link? Wish I had gone with Full Traction.

Hi Bill,
The adjustable track bar will allow you to recenter your axle and it will help correct the tracking problems you are experiencing. Regarding the swaybar links, they are fine and are typical of what most aftermarket manufacturers use as they are a stronger setup although they can become squeaky. And, as far as the ESP goes, would it be safe to say you have a 2-door? If so, I find this to be a common problem with them and not the 4-doors.

Eddie

Bill Valentine May 22nd, 2007
7:16 pm

Thanks Eddie for your quick response. I’ll give an adjustable track bar a try. I actually have the 4 door.

Steve May 30th, 2007
11:16 pm

Wayoflife, i’ll be installing an RE BB kit this weekend, and for the front shocks, i need to re-use the metal sleeve from the stock front shocks mount.

Removing the bar pin is easy with a bench vise since it’s sticking out. Do you have any suggestion on removing the stock metal sleeve from the stock shocks?

Hi Steve, sorry but removing the factory metal sleeves is near impossible. Believe me, I have tried. The most I can suggest is to use a bench vice and something close to the same diameter to press it out. Good luck.

Eddie

steve May 31st, 2007
10:23 am

Thanks WOL. One more question. On your direction above, you drilled a 11/32″ hole for the 3/8 self tapping screw (front bumpstop).

However, on my RE BB kit, the direction is to put a 5/16″ hole instead for the 3/8 self tapping screw.

Hi Steve,
Yes, you can use a 5/16″ bit but it will take a little more effort to get the hole tapped. An 11/32″ hole will make it easier.

Eddie

John June 20th, 2007
4:25 pm

Hey there,

How is the Way Of Life?

Thanks for all of the help. I was a bit lost before I found Project-jk.com. I am new to Jeep, just bought my first (’07 ‘X’), never did much off roading…’till now. I was thinking of upgrading to the Full Traction 3″ Eco kit along with some Pro Comp 35 XT M/T. Is this a bit much for a ‘beginner’? Any advice? Again thanks for all of the help…keep on keepin’ on!

-John

John June 20th, 2007
5:03 pm

One more thing, when purchasing the Full Traction kit you have the options of: No Shocks, 5100 Hydraulic Shocks, or M-Force Gas Monotube Shocks, is it better to go aheah and purchase shocks with the kit or purchase them on by themselves?

Thanks again,
-John

Dale July 5th, 2007
10:32 am

Shock question… I noticed that you installed the rear shocks upside down. There a reason for that? Also, you don’t mention but did you need to use the stock sleeve hardware for the rear lower mount? The one that came with my shocks weren’t as long as the stock ones. Also, I’m a little concerned because the stock sleeves are a little thick in the OD and cause the rubber bushings to bulge out a bit. Should I contact Full Traction for the correct sleeves?

Hey John, I’m glad to know that my website has been helpful to you. Regarding the upgrade you want and you being a beginner goes, my advice to you is to follow my write-up and let me know if you have any questions and you’ll be just fine. As far as shocks go, I would recommend you getting the M-Force set at the time you purchase your lift

Hi Dale, M-Force shocks are high pressure gas charged shocks and need to be installed can up. As far as the sleeves go, I just used the ones that came with the shocks and have had no problems with them.

Eddie

CHUCK July 8th, 2007
1:32 am

I JUST PUT THE 2 INCH LIFT ON MY 07 RUBICON AND THEN I SAW YOUR WRITE UP ON THE 3 INCH ONE. YOUR RIGHT ON WITH EVERY DETAIL INCLUDING THE SHOCK MOUNTS. (THEY DIDN`T COME WITH THE SLEEVES SO I USED THE ONES OFF THE STOCK SHOCKS) MY QUESTION IS HAS ANYONE FOUND A FIX FOR THAT ESP PROBLEM. EVERY THING IS WITHIN SPECS, THE STEERING WHEELS CENTERED BUT IT COMES ON AT ANY CURVE OVER 40 MPH. YEH IT`S THE 2 DOOR. THANKS…..CHUCK

Hey Chuck, is it safe to say that you have a 2″ coil spacer lift? If so, would it also be safe to say that you have a Sahara or X? If so, I have found that the Sahara and X model coils are much softer that Rubicon’s and that lends itself to more body roll. This in turn triggers the ESP.

Eddie

chris July 16th, 2007
10:35 am

on step (27. Using a 7/8″ wrench and a 13/16″ socket, tighten your Jeep JK Wrangler front track bar to the 50-7127 Front Trac Bar Bracket to 125 ft. lbs. of torque.) Is it me or is it this type of “lock nut” that the treads on the bolt don’t seem to match up with the nut? Took the bolt to lowes and found a grade 8 nut that threaded up nice but haven’t installed it yet thinking for some reason that nut should be like that?? Maybe I just got a lame one…

Dale July 16th, 2007
10:22 pm

Eddie,

Did miss something? Where did you mention how to install the new front sway bar disconnects? Do the bolt go from the outside to the inside? Do I use stock hardware or new?

Also I wanted to mention that the disconnects are NOT impressive at all. The nuts or bolts need a wider flange for the bushings and they are loose and noisy, even when torched to 75 ft lbs. The pins are too long and hit on the spring perches.

My kit came with the Hydro shocks but like I said before, the bottom sleeves that came with it aren’t as wide as the stock and they are thicker.

Thanks,
Dale

Dale July 16th, 2007
10:32 pm

Eddie,

My bad, I found it at the end of the write up after step 54. In any case I am thinking about going to JKS disconnects. They seem to be much better made and easier to remove and install.

What lift would you reccomend for running 33’s? keep in mind this will be a daily driver and I want the best ride quality. It would seem that this 3″ lift woukld be overkill for 33’s. i have read that Rubicon Express is coming out with a 2″ complete coil system kit, not just there coil spacers.

Hi Dale,
Yes, the disconnects that come with the FT kit are sufficient at best and I think you’ll be much happier with the JKS discos you are looking at.

Hi David,
Although all you really need is a 2″ lift to clear 33’s, this kit is not an over kill at all. Certainly, a friend of mine is running this setup now and gets amazing flex. If you are considering it, I would recommend it.

Eddie

David July 18th, 2007
9:55 pm

How does this kit feel for daily driving..Highway, city, etc…. Compared to stock ride and feel? Also, would you reccomend economy, or go all out. (Biggest fear for me is future alignment issues or driveshaft vibration. Spending 35,000 on a JK, I would want to augment the suspension not make it feel bad.)

Hi David,
In all honesty, I think the ride is as good if not better than stock especially if you have a Sahara or X as their coils and shocks tend to feel too mushy for my taste. And, if you can afford to go all out and get an Ultimate Lift, I would highly recommend it as it will allow you to dial in your suspension to where it needs to be at this height. But, if you cannot afford it, going the Economy route is a great way to start and you can always upgrade as money allows.

Eddie

David July 19th, 2007
10:16 pm

Last question: Does this lift correct the RAKe on the Rubicon? also, if I put a AEV bumper, AEV skidplate, and winch, will that be significant weight to use a spacer to correct sag, or will the lift correct rake and sag?

Thank you kindly for feedback

P.S. Im assuming the ultimate would be better for articulation and alignment and driveshaft vibration v.s. Ecomony, or will Economy lift do well for alignment and articulation as well.

thanks again

David July 20th, 2007
8:13 pm

One other thing I forgot to add in my previous post, Will a 3: lift plus spacer in front need a dropped pitman arm for the steering?

Hi David,
If you decide to get a Full Traction 3″ lift, make sure to request heavy duty coils with it (this is a free upgrade) as it will help compensate for the extra weight of your bumper and winch. As far as the difference between lift kits goes, yes, the Ultimate kit will allow you to dial in your suspension so that you can correct your caster angles, pinion angles and reposition your axles under your Jeep. Of course, the new joints will also provide greater articulation. Last but not least, a dropped pitman arm is only needed for 4″ of lift or greater.

Eddie

David July 23rd, 2007
1:52 am

Do you know which vendor honors the free coil upgrade? I have only seen quadratec on the internet that hase the Ultimate version. 4 wheel parts and 4 wheel drive have only the economy and premium. Any suggestions as to where to get the Ultimat for best price. I am a member of JKforum.com and jeepforum.com and I havent seen any vendor advertise the ultimate

OK…I do have a 2 dr. Rubicon and I did install Full Traction’s 3″ Ultimate suspension with 315/75/16 DC Mud Countries (35’s). Every thing has been aligned and adjusted. Every thing is fine except that ESP. Left on, the vehicle jerks and jerks through just about any moderate turn on road. Turned off, it’s worse or must kick itself back on automatically. The little “vehicle in a sway” icon flashes on the dash. So…is there a cure?

Hey Brad,
I have found that the lighter weight of a 2-door will yield you a taller than 3″ lift. And, because of it and your shorter wheel base, the ESP will tend to kick on more. Some of the things you can do to address this is: 1) make sure your steering wheel is centered for sure 2) run high pressure gas charged shocks if you don’t already have them. The steering wheel is a given but the some of the body sway can be addressed with a firmer shock.

Eddie

Brad July 24th, 2007
10:35 pm

Thanks for the quick reply. The steering is “dead on”. And I’m running Full Traction’s best gas shock. I went around a turn today at about 30 mph and did cause a momentary jam up behind me and a potential accident. I had to slow to almost a stop to regain control. Very scarey! I might have thought twice if I had known about this before. Isn’t there anyway to just totally disconnect this all together? I mean…I was driving raised CJ5’s in the late 60’s and early 70’s and I never had a problem on the road without all these assists in the vehicle. Sure…the potential to roll a raised vehicle can be there…if you drive it like a Mazda Miata! You leave space for emergency swerving and your braking distances increase, but you should slow the h&*^ll down too!

Sorry…just venting my “Big Brother Vehicle Assists” that are in certain vehicles I don’t think need it or should at least be optional for those morons that buy a Jeep and don’t know how to drive it!

Thanks,

Brad

javier July 25th, 2007
4:32 am

I have a rubicon 2-door and I did install full traction 3″ lift system. with 35×12.50 toyo tires on 17×8 wheels

how can I know if the (oem) elecronic sway bar disconnet system works properly?

is there any chance it will stop working with the full traction lift system ?

Hi Brad, you know, I’m not entirely sure what to tell you. If you don’t mind me asking, are you sure you have your lower control arms adjusted out long enough to reposition your axles under your Jeep and what do you have your caster set at? At this height, you really want to be running close to +7°. Also, Mark, the guy who’s JK you see in this write-up ended up with a lift that was clearly closer to 4″ or more and while he doesn’t seem to have as many problems as you are experiencing, I’m starting to wonder if maybe what he needs is a dropped pitman arm to rid him of any ESP issues.

Hi javier, so long as you have new longer links installed, you will not have any problems with your e-disco system.

Eddie

Dan July 27th, 2007
6:40 pm

Eddie

Thanks for all the great work and effort you have put forth, it is much appreciated. I have a 3″ FT econo lift on order and I am anxiously awaiting it. I’m currently running a 1 3/4″ spacer front and back and was contemplating using both of these concurrently. do you have any concerns about this? Would I need a drop pitman arm? What can be done about the front brake and sensor line? Seems like the front ones get real tight and I’m afraid I’ll damage them. I’m running 33’s but will run 35’s, I jus think that the extra heigh might look great.

Hi Dan, Running both the 3″ coils and 1.75″ spacers will yield you close to 5″ of lift and in my opinion, that is way too high for 35’s and maybe even for the factory control arms. At the bare minimum, you would need to address your brake lines, ESP sensors, get a dropped pitman arm, get and adjustable front/rear track bar and maybe even a drop bracket for them, longer shocks and swaybar links.

Eddie

Steve August 12th, 2007
9:24 pm

Hi Eddy, Great write-up. I am looking to go with the Rubicon Express 2″ spacer kit(monotubes) with 33’s. I am mainly going for the look and am extremely concerned about keeping the stock ride and power the same.
1. Would you recommend this set-up?
2. What size wheel and backspacing would you recommend?
3. Will I notice much of a power reduction with a 4.10/automatic?
4. If Rubicon Express comes out with a 2″ coil system, would this be better than the 2″ spacer system?

Hi Steve,
Sure, a coils spacer lift is pretty much a coil spacer lift and although the RE kit may not be 2.5″ tall, I do believe it is designed to level out your factory rake if this is a concern of your. If you go with this setup, I think you will find that 33″ tires is about a big as you’ll want to go and if you get new wheels to match, I would recommend going 4.75″ - 4.5″ of back spacing. With 33’s, you will not see much power reduction and would not see the need to regear. Now, if you’re sure you will never go any higher than 2″ of lift and are willing to spend the cash, a 2″ coil system would always be the better way to go and I would wait for Old Man Emu to come out with something as they are typically the king of 2″ coil systems.

Eddie

Steve August 14th, 2007
1:06 pm

Thanks Eddy. Mickey Thompson has a Classic Lock wheel that I really like (should be out in the next month or so), however it has a backspacing of 5″. M/T claims that this wheel is made specifically for the JK and that it should not be a problem. Do you see any issues with the 5″ backspacing?

Hi Eddie, I put on Full Tractions 2″ spacer lift kit on my 07 X today. I staightened my steering wheel but I notice the wheel turns right when I accelerate and turns left when I decelerate. It doesn’t move when I am braking. Also it does this in 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive. Any idea what is causing this?

Hi Frank, yes, I would. Try removing the track bar relocation bracket and I think you will find that it helps out a lot.

Eddie

Frank October 11th, 2007
9:59 pm

Hi Eddie,
Would that be for both front and rear track bar relocation brackets? And also I measured both front and rear axles and they both seem to be off to the left. Would removing both front and rear track bar relocation brackets fix the problem or would I have to purchase front and rear adjustable track bars? By the way I have a 2 door jk rubicon with a 3 inch full traction economy lift w/full traction gas shocks and MT 17 BY 9inch rims and BFG MT 35 by 12.50 tires. Thanks.

Frank…

Nate October 16th, 2007
12:22 pm

The ESP. I put 285’s on mine and the light would come on and the brakes start pumping. The dealership has zero clue to fix this and says they are coming out with a flash to fix it. However, I had to take them off and put the smaller tires back on it and now do not like it as much. I am no expert in Jeeps, so what should I do to get this fixed??? Thanks
Nate

Hi Nate, did you make sure to get your steering wheel completely centered after installing this lift?

Eddie

Nate October 21st, 2007
10:52 pm

Eddie-
The answer to your questions is no. I only put the tires on it and took it to the dealer..i figured they would know what to do. Apparently not. They keep telling me there is a flash coming to eliminate it, but I was hoping there would be a quicker way. Also, I am having a hard time finding parts for the JK..any suggestions? What about selling parts? ( bumpers and flares) I greatly appreciate all your help. Finally, they did tellme that I could pull the fuse, but that disengages the ABS…Help!
Nate

Hi Nate, I really would try to recenter your steering wheel first and then go from there. It is easy to do as all you need to do is follow step #57. That should take care of most if not all of your problems.

As far as parts go, it’s pretty much hard to find anything right now as there is so much demand for them and not enough supply. Hopefully this will change in a year or two.

Eddie

Patty Hru November 6th, 2007
9:06 am

I bought my son a Jeep Wrangler new in I think 2004. Recently we took it to Four Wheel Parts in Orlando FL. to install a small lift and four new wide tires that extended out. I obviosly don’t know much about this stuff but after installation the jeep looked awesome and my son was very happy. The problem is that after driving the car for a short time we noticed it rattled. So I took it back to have it fixed. The shop said it is called the “death rattle” which scared the crap out of me as i thought i was making my son’s jeep safer. The shop says that this can’t be fixed and the was no way to know that this would occur, it just does sometimes. Please advise , should I put the jeep back to the way it was and eat the cost which was a few thousand as I also bought extras.

Hi Patty,
To be honest, this website is dedicated to 2007+ Jeep Wrangler’s but I do know a thing or two about 1997-2006 Jeeps as well. And, what I can tell you is that the shop you are taking your Jeep to doesn’t know what the heck they are talking about. If you would like, please contact me by email at: eddie@project-jk.com

I would be more than happy to assist you in any way that I can.

Sincerely,
Eddie

Darin November 16th, 2007
4:07 am

Eddie,

I have a 3″ Full Traction Economy Lift with front and rear adjustable track bars. I thought the lift was installed well, it was done by a local shop here in Phoenix, but today went I went to install my new tires, and one of the front tires I was taking off was wearing very strange (cupped). A friend told me that my Jeep was likely out of alignment and that was the reason for the cupping of the tires. I paid for an alignment with the install and the tech told me, “that is as straight as we can get it without new lower control arms.” He told me that he liked the Teraflex lift over the Full Traction because he could not get a good alignment with the Full Traction Lifts.

I have a feeling my lift was not done properly. Additionally, I am hearing noises now from my Jeep that I didn’t hear previously, clicking noises when I go over bumps, and other things. Is there anything that I can do or check to make sure my lift was installed properly. Unfortunately, I am new to this…and I am not very familiar with working on my own stuff.

Due to the steering design of the JK, your toe in will not have changed and the only alignment that your shop would have been able to do is recenter your axles and steering wheel. Caster would not have been able to be addressed as you do not have adjustable control arms. Now, if you’re tire is wearing funny and only on one side, it is possible that your front axle is slightly bent at the “C”. This is actually a common problem with JK’s when running larger tires and is something I myself have on the passenger side. The problem essentially is that your wheel has camber to it and this is typically not possible on a solid axle unless it is bent.

Eddie

Tyler December 14th, 2007
12:00 am

If i have a 3″ BDS suspension lift and with 33″ tires, would i have to do anything to the driveline if i added a 2″ spacer kit to run 35″ tires?

Hi Tyler, especially since you have a TJ, you will need to install an SYE/CV driveshaft as well as adjustable rear upper control arms so that you can set your pinion angle. Without these, you will have MAJOR vibrations. In fact, at 5″ of lift, you really will need a host of other things as well including an adjustable front track bar and drop bracket, rear track bar drop bracket, adjustable upper front control arms to dial in your caster, dropped pit man arm, extended brake lines front and rear and bump stop extensions if you don’t already have them. In truth, 5″ of lift on a TJ is in my opinion a bad idea unless you are going long arm. Need I say, I wouldn’t advise what you are planning to do.

Eddie

Tyler December 16th, 2007
2:33 pm

ok thanks

rob December 24th, 2007
4:40 pm

Wow,
I read this thread and your Frontend Alignment article and learned more in 30 minutes than I had in the rest of my research combined! Thanks. I have an ‘07 Sahara 4Dr with stock 18″ wheels. I live back a dirt road subject to some serious washboards. I would like to accomplish two things with a lift/suspension/tires: gaining clearance and not rattling my fillings out (OK, it also has to look good!). Seems like most of the kits are set up for crawling where I am more concerned with rebound and dampening (think Baja). Any suggestions?

Hi Rob, I’m glad to know that my write-ups have been helpful to you. Regarding your needs, I think you will find that upgrading your soft Sahara shocks to a set of high pressure gas charged ones, such as Old Man Emu, M-Force or Bilstein alone will help give you the dampening you are looking for.

Eddie

Ron January 12th, 2008
11:50 pm

Very nice!
I have 2 questions,
Is it ok without front break line extension?
How many inches is the back space of the new rims?

Yes, the factory front brake lines will be long enough and you will not need to extend them. As far as the back spacing of the new rims goes, I am running 4.5″.

Eddie

tyler January 20th, 2008
4:12 am

Hey just a few questions..
1.with a three inch lift u do not need to change youre drive shafts? but …how about with a 4 inch ?.
2.does the upper and lower control arms(ft 4inch premium)change the angle of youre driveshafts enouph to keep the cv’s in driveable condition…or..what do they adjust?
SORRY IF THAT SOUNDS COMPLICATED

tyler January 20th, 2008
4:17 am

alos just curious if i decide to get either the 3 or 4 inch premium lift do u know if the 4-door kit has a different spring rate ? if so would i be able to order heavier springs (do to roof rack +equipment?

hey tyler,
1. if you have an unlimited and a 6-speed, no, you will not need to change your drive shafts even if you have a 4″ lift. I am running this setup now. If you have a 2-door, it is not necessary but you really will want to change out your rear shaft sooner than later as the angle on it will be very steep and will cause your CV boots to wear prematurely. If you have an automatic, you will need to notch out or remove your auto tranny skid plate as it will cause your front driveshaft boot to tear when flexing. Although, an aftermarket u-joint style drive shaft will be narrow enough to clear the skid.

2. Yes, your control arms will allow you to adjust your drive lines and set your caster.

3. The spring rates are the same on the 2-door and 4-door and heavier spring rates are available.

Eddie

tyler January 25th, 2008
4:53 am

hey thanks Eddie so much for youre reply!! but i have endless questions that u mite be able to answer..
running 35 10.5 ’s with the 3inch lift do i need wheel spacers?(if not should i get them just for a little extra width with the tall skinny’s)
and do you feel that the danna 44 ’s can handle the 35 10.5 with ease or should their be up grades?

Naw, if you are running 10.50 wide tires, wheel spacers will not be needed. Only with 12.50 wide tires or wider. And yes, your Dana 44’s will be able to handle the 35’s just fine.

Eddie

tyler January 31st, 2008
5:32 pm

hey eddie quick question.iam having a kid so iam now on a budget do u think a 2” budget boost and a 1 inch body lift plus front and rear track bars would be alrite as far as ride qaulity? as well do u think with 35 and the lift set up i just mentioned, do u think the esp would go all wonky? and do u think there would be much if any drive shaft vibration?thnaks
tyler
ps if u have anysugestions plz let me know

Hi tyler, a 2″ BB and a 1″ BL will get you clearing 35’s just fine and you won’t even need new track bars and you definitely will NOT have any vibrations since the drive shafts use CV style joints. As far as ESP goes, you will not have any if you have a 4-door and if you have a 2-door, you might at first but it will go away once your computer figure things out. But, you will most likely have no problems.

Eddie

tyler January 31st, 2008
11:55 pm

thankx again eddie hey so u think i will notice no difference in ride quality with nothing but the 2″ bb and 1″ bl?

Taylor February 24th, 2008
11:49 pm

Hey, my name is Taylor. Im 16 and and got a brand new jk X for my birthday (Yes Thank GOD!!) Iv always had a love for jeeps, and know a lil bit about them but not much, I am very interested in putting a lift on my jeep, and running some 35’s. From what I have learned from your site I would like to go with Full Traction 3″, my only problem is, IDK wether to get the Eco, Premium, or Unlimited. What are the perks of having the Premium over the Unlimited?? Im a daily driver, to school and back, and driving around town w/ all the friends. A regular teen. But about 5 of my friends 4Wheel, and im not big into rock crawling or anything I just like the basic trails, and mudholes. Also, will I need to redo my gears and all, I plan on a 3″ lift, 35 12.50’s and the 17″ stock rim. I just need to know what im getting into, and what the best set up for ME would be. Thanks.

tyler, for the most part, no, you shouldn’t notice a difference especially if you keep your factory shocks.

Taylor, the ultimate lift kit will come with all the components you need to dial in your ride. but for your purposes, you might be good just to get the economy lift and then just upgrade as you can afford it.

Eddie

Taylor February 25th, 2008
10:15 pm

Will I need to redo my gearing or anything? Or just throw on the the lift and tires, and drive on down the road??

If you install 35″ tires, you may want to regear especially if you do not have 4.10 gears.

Eddie

Steve March 5th, 2008
9:40 pm

Does the Full Traction econo lift level out the JK?? I have noticed that JK’s seem to sit alot higher in the rear than in the front. Actually, I have one more question, does the FT econo lift give you more articulation for off road use?

Yes, you will get more articulation and if you get the HD coils, you will actually sit a bit nose high if you don’t have a heavy duty steel bumper and winch. With the standard coils, you will still have a little rake but not as bad.

Shawn March 18th, 2008
11:47 pm

Eddie, thanks for the write up. It’s been brought up however I’m tearing my hair out trying to make a decision. I’ve an ‘07 2dr X, 17in rims wrapped with 33.5’s. As it’s my day to day I won’t be offroad too much and want the best look I can get. Do you recommend 2” or 3”? Thanks!

Any of our sponsors will be able to help you out. Give JK-Forum.com a look as I think you will find a lot of feedback as to who they like to use and why. As far as MPG goes, there will be some loss but not that much.

Eddie

Brian April 29th, 2008
5:24 pm

Eddie, I am installing the Rough Country 2.5″ BB on my 4-DR Rubi. I am going to move the rear sway bar links to the front and add longer rear links. What is the best way to determine the length of the rear links? Will the rear links be ok up front with 2.5″ BB?

yes, your factory rear links will work just fine up front. as for the rears, you’ll want to have them about 2″-3″ longer than stock. You’ll have to forgive me for editing out the link you posted but the company in question has been blacklisted from this website due to their questionable business practices and conduct here.

Cody April 29th, 2008
10:36 pm

Yes i plan on installing on a 2000 TJ what will the big difference be from this installation and the other?

Brian April 30th, 2008
9:45 am

Thanks for the info, this really helps. No worries on the editing, I was wondering about dropping names that I did not see as sponors of the site when I typed that.

Thank you for your understanding. So you know, dropping names even though they are not sponsors is not so much a problem but we do not allow blacklisted ones to be mentioned.

Brian May 8th, 2008
5:54 pm

Hey Eddie, I was wondering in step 47, if it is a good idea to take the solid portion of the brake line (that runs along the frame) out of the plastic clip retainer that holds it to the frame? It seems like alot of stress builds at that point when you bend the brake line down to bolt on the extension bracket.

Hey Brian, nope, not necessary to do at all as the line is quite flexible and I have yet to see this be a problem.

Eddie

James May 23rd, 2008
1:40 pm

I have a question about lifting my 2007 JK. I haven’t done anything with it yet. I plan on putting a 3″ suspension lift on and probably also putting 35×12.50 all-terrains on it. For right now I am pretty much just doing it for looks, I might take it off-road a little bit but nothing too crazy. So will I be able to put 35’s on it or should I go with 33’s, I’m not too familiar with this stuff but I’m trying to do my research before I mess up my Jeep. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

while you can run without regearing, you will feel a power loss. personally, i would recommend having a set of 5.13’s installed as they will give you a significant boost in power. however, if mpg is more important to you, 4.88’s is the way to go.

Mike Deaton June 28th, 2008
11:28 pm

Question. I just had a 3″ full traction lift installed by my dealer and 33″ Toyo’s. They installed the front and rear traction bars and Full Traction gas shocks. I drove it home from dealer today and above 60mph it is almost scary to drive. It darts left and right with just a small input on the steering wheel. It wanders badly and seems to have way too much body roll. I did notice when I got home they had close to 40psi in the tires. I lowered them to 30psi but haven’t tried to drive it yet as it’s raining. My steering wheel is not centered like you mentioned. Any ideas? I plan on returning to the dealer asap for some help. I ask you this because I consider you a expert on this lift and much better qualified than most dealer techs to address this issue. I fell like I have ruined a great riding jeep. I have had other lifted jeeps and they all drove better with lifts. Something is wrong for sure. Thanks, Mike

first off, you have way too much air in your tires. for 33’s, you should be closer to 28 psi - that will help a lot. if you still have steering issues at highway speeds, you should consider picking up a set of adjustable lower control arms and have them set to about 23″ in lenght eye to eye. this will effectively give you more positive caster (about +6°-7°) and will get your jeep driving a lot better.

David July 22nd, 2008
11:59 pm

I had this kit installed by 4 wheel parts and I’m still having trouble with the right front spring coils hitting the center stop. The left side is fine. Any ideas on whats going on? thanks

Steve August 8th, 2008
1:19 am

Ok im going to ask this here also since i havent got an answer yet,regearing,whats the difference between the 4.88 and 5.13 , i was told to go 5.13 with the 3″ full traction ultimate lift and 35″ cepek crusher tires also putting on 16×8 american racing wheels (predator)im going with have 4.5 backspacing,also going with upgraded driveshafts,i also am putting a front bumper and winch down the road have the back warn bumper on its way with tire carrier,so will all this be a good combo?plus are the 5.13 the best gears to go with? i also have a k&n air intake and a gibson catback split rear exhaust which i should have got flowmaster but have this now so will try it.this will be on a 2007 wrangler x 2 door automatic i know all this has nothing to do with regearing except the lift and tire size,just wanted to say what i was doing to it,will my gas mileage go way downhill also?

5.13’s will give your jeep the feeling that it has about 30 extra hp but it will run on the high side of the rpm range at highway speeds - maybe 3k at about 70mph. however, imho, this is an insignificant issue and i would do it.

J.D. September 26th, 2008
2:16 pm

Eddie,

After reading this write up and other reviews for Full Traction lifts, I am pretty much sold on this lift and plan to purchase one soooon….I am kinda in a toss up whether to purchase a FT 3″ Economy or Premium lift. I have a 08 2DR A/T Rubicon with 4:10 gears and am planning on running 35X12.5 BFG Mud terrains. My jeep will be a daily driver but also a periodic weekend trail rider.

The literature on both lift systems states there is no driveline mods required however it appears that there is. What really needs to be modified/replaced for the longevity of a good operating vehicle and when do these mods need to take place (during or after the lift install?). Concerning the A/T skid plate notch, is this a perferred method for cost or should the front driveline also be replaced for mechanically sound reasons/wear.

I want a good dependable system that is going to keep minimum unwanted wear on other componets but I also want to keep it low cost.

Thanks.

Josh October 5th, 2008
10:46 am

Is it possible for me to re-center my own steering wheel? It is about and 1/8th of a turn off the the left, not a big deal in fact it doesn’t even mess with the ESP but I would just like it straight.

of course, click on the write-up link and look for the basic front end alignment link. there are easy to follow instructions there.

Frank October 7th, 2008
3:12 am

Hey. I installed the 3” lift on my 2 door JK last year in December and was happy with it until now. The back track bar relocation bracket was hitting the shock at the rear right badly, very badly every time it bottoms out. I read trough the write up again and found that I did not go wrong any were with the installation. If there is any one else with this lift I suggest you go and have a look. Just slip your hand to the back of your rear right shock and feel if there is a dent caused by the bolt on the relocation bracket. And if there is any one with suggestions to the problem I will surely appreciate help.

actually, they measure out to being about the same height. regardless of which one you go with, i would recommend that you get a set of adjustable front lower control arms so that you can set your caster as well as an adjustable front track bar.

LAHAL November 9th, 2008
11:24 pm

I plan on starting with the economy and working my way up to the ultimate as funds become available. Once I get to the ultimate stage, I want to place a 1″ coil spacer, in order to turn it into a 4″ lift.

Would you recommend me installing a drop pitman arm at the economy stage or wait till I add the spacers? and would the m-force shocks that come with the 3″ lift, be long enough to be used with the spacers, or will I need new shocks.

hi LAHAL, you will NOT need a dropped pitman arm for just 3″ of lift and i would not recommend installing one until you get to 4″. regarding shocks, FT no longer sells M-Force shocks as they were being made by edelbrock and there were just too many being delivered to them without a charge. FT now provides JK specific valved bilstien shocks and they are much much better anyway. as far as their length goes, they will work with 4″ of lift but you might want to consider installing a set of shock extensions.

it all depends on the extended and collapsed length of the shock and not whether or not it’s “billed” as being a 3″ or 4″ shock. more than likely, yes, but if the 4″ shock is too long, you will run the risk of bottoming it out even on pavement.

regarding the rancho 9000xl’s, yes, they are a good shock.

Brad September 18th, 2009
2:01 pm

I have a 4 door Rubi, could I use the 2.5″ teraflex shock extensions with this kit instead of buying the full traction shocks? The rubi only has 6000 miles on it so I thought it would be nice to use them. Also will the heavy duty coils ride about like the stock Rubi coils or is it rougher?

I’m a Newbie @ owning a jeep. I just purchased a 2010 Jk sport Islander. It came with stock Rubicon “17 inch wheels & 255(31’s) MT BF Goodrich tires. I will not be “Off roading” hardcore, just want to beef my ride up a little. What is the best Budget lift to put on (2″ or 2.5″) so I can put 33/12.5/17 on it?

PS: I was told I only had to put a 2″ spacer on front and I can run 33’s. Is this the case on this model? I want to be sure and buy the correct thing!!! Doesn’t need to be high dollar!!!!

Thanks for any help!! Eric in Michigan

Eric March 17th, 2010
11:28 am

Oh and I forgot.

I wanted the 33/12.5/17 AT instead of MT. Since I will be On road than off it per say? Do you have any suggestions on Brands, Doesnt have to be BF”s

you can practically run 33’s at stock height especially if you won’t be doing any real off roading.

JK 07 May 3rd, 2010
5:45 pm

Note to everyone, I’ve had this kit installed since 2008 on my 07 JK (4 door) and I’ve done moderate wheeling over the years. Last year because i used the relocation brackets instead of new trackbars the welds holding the front trackbar broke off the axel. Since then I’ve had it reinfoced and I’ve replaced the stock trackbars with adjustable from Teraflex, its all out of warranty of course. Also destroyed my steering stabilizer in the process.

Also loosing your trackbar isn’t very fun after about 40 mph you could be in a bit of trouble… at the time i saved myself a few bucks but the repair and reinforcement job cost me quite a bit more (had them do the front and rear just in case). nice to know its done right now but just a warning, i hear now they do a better job at welding the brackets on later models of the JK but i don’t want others to run into this issue

I apologize for what I am sure is a redundant question for you. I have a ‘07 Jeep Sahara with a 2.5 ProComp Suspension lift. I have P255/70R18 tires on it. My questions are:
#1:Alot of Tire companies seems reluctant to put 33×12.50s on those stock rims. Is is safely doable? No blow outs
#2:If not I am looking at some Black Rock 16×10 wheels with 4.5 backspacing. Is it true that the smaller the backspacing the more the wheel\tire extends? I would like to get a more planted look to my jeep.
Thank you in advance

yes, it is totally safe and lots of people do it. heck, i’ve been running 35×12.50’s on factory wheels without any problems. yes, the default wheel size for 12.50’s is 10″ but, 8″ is the norm for off roading. factory wheels are just a tad narrower but not enough to matter.

chris September 27th, 2010
3:12 pm

hello, my name is chris and I have read quite a few of your write ups and you deffonatly seem to be the most professional and knowledgable about the JK’s. I have a 2010 wrangler 2 door sport, 4×4 with an auto trans. i really want to put a 3 or 3.5 inch lift on it. i do not do a whole lot of off roading but i will every now and then and be just a little rough on it but nothing extreme seeing as it is my daily driver. i would like to keep somewhat of a soft ride and run 35X12.50R18 tires. i have instaled lift kits before on jeeps but they were much older, they were CJ modles.

so my questions for you are this relating to my specific jeep:

1) what 3 or 3.5″ lift do you recomend for comfort, reliability, and toughness?
2) with whatever lifts you recomend, will i have to replace either driveshaft?
3) i do not want my tires sticking way out so what backset on the rims should i get?
and finally 4) i pull a smoker trailer now and then that weighs about 1300lbs and it doesnt sag at all, with a lift, will it and will i need to beef up the rear at all?

oh and one final note, i do not want to go broke on this project, haha, so please keep that in mind with your recomendations

2. yes, being that you have a 2-door and it’s an auto, you will need to replace both shafts.
3. just make sure to get wheels with 4.5″ of back spacing. any less than than and your tires will stick out - any more and you will have rubbing issues.
4. i doubt it but, if you do see some sagging, you might want to get a set of air bags to compensate for it.

Brandon Nowling November 11th, 2010
11:55 pm

If I were to install this lift, would I be able to install JKS upper and lower adjustable control arms? Would you say that I would probably need coil spacers if I were to install new bumpers, sideskirts, and a winch with this lift? Thanks

yes, you could install whatever control arms you wanted. as far as coil spacers go, depending on how heavy all your additional skids are, yes, you might want to install a set of 3/4″ spacers.

Rich January 16th, 2011
9:16 am

Hi, I’m also new to the JK wold and after ready hundreds of threads on lifts…I’m looking for a lift. Like Chris above, I will not be doing much off roading and this will be on the highway a lot. I just bought a lifetime chrysler warranty so want to keep forever and not void anything. I’ve read a lot regarding damaging of the drivetrain (ie boots wearing and not being able to get into reverse with manual…). A few questions:
I drive a ‘08 Sahara unlimited 5-speed:
1) would you recommend the teraflex for full traction system? I don’t want to spend a fortune but want it done right without any wear/tear on other components. Looking to put on 35″s, so either 2.5 or 3″ will work for me (bigger is better though)
2) New driveshaft for manual 5-speed 4 door?
3) Recommend re-gear?

you can loosely install the track bar to the frame mount before reinstalling your tires. you should wait until your jeep is back on the ground before finishing up the install and torquing the bolts. check out the full-traction ultimate lift write-up i did and there are some instructions there to help you out.

Steven August 2nd, 2011
8:34 pm

This might have been asked but there are so many questions to go through… How is the economy lift in off roading situations (mud, sand, etc). I have a 07 Rubi and I usually hit the Eglin Reservation when I offroad which can include mud, lots of sand, and some ruts. I am looking for a good economy kit that comes with what I need to get a safe and reliable lift that will do me good in off roading and on road for daily driving.

steven November 10th, 2011
9:52 pm

Hi I live in australia and I just got the economy 3″ lift kit but when I installed the frount spring they sit bent and are rubbing were the bumpstop is I don’t no what to do I can send a pic so you can see my email is froggi1983@ gmail.com

sounds like you either have too much positive caster and/or have your lower control arms adjusted too long.

Mark February 11th, 2012
6:34 pm

So, I’m considering buying the FT 3″ economy lift and attempting to self-install. Other than a pair of shocks, is there any other parts you recommend out of the gate? I drive an 09 Rubicon Unlimited. (new tires will have to come later..)

Also, is this something that can really be done on my own?

Mark February 11th, 2012
7:41 pm

Sorry for the follow along, but which lift would you recommend the most in this range? the FT 3″ budget or the Rubicon Express 3.5″? Thanks for all your help and the write ups are very helpful!

i would recommend getting the 3″ premium plus kit as it is way more complete and better than the the RE kit.

Mark February 13th, 2012
7:29 pm

Great! Thanks for the recommendation. It looks like it basically provides the adjustable track bar correct? Also, which shocks would you buy if you were wanting to keep a good ride on the road, but want good durability and articulation on the trail? Thanks and those should be some of the last questions until post install.

the premium plus kit should come with adjustable front and rear track bars as well as adjustable front and rear upper control arms. regarding shocks, i really like the bilstein 5100’s and they will work great with the FT coils.

Mark March 18th, 2012
5:03 pm

Perhaps a silly question, but at the end of the write up you have this statement : “ATTENTION: For people who will be keeping their factory wheels, you will need to install your rear sway bar links on the inside as shown in the photos below. This is required because the back spacing on the factory wheels will cause your wheel weights and/or wheels themselves to rub on the upper link bolts.”

If I am adding installing spidertrax, will I still need to attach the links to the inside?

if you install spidertrax spacers, you will not need to install the links on the inside.

Mark March 25th, 2012
6:34 pm

Thanks for all the help. Just finished the install. There were some changes to the lift since the write up, but was able to really make proper adjustments based on what I learned on your site. I got an unbelievable 4″ from the front and 3.2″ in the rear. Looks great and can’t wait to get her dirty.

TJ February 5th, 2013
4:57 am

Hey Eddie,
I own a 2012 2 door jk, and I am looking to run 35×12.5×17 tires but would like to keep the stock wheels. I’m looking for the best way to do this while keeping it pretty cheap, and this lift seems to be the one; I do have a few questions though, if I were to run this lift.
-Would I need to buy a new drive shaft?
-I’m assuming I would need new shocks, is this correct?
-Anything else I might need that doesn’t come with the kit?
-Lastly am I correct in assuming this is the best kit for a moderate occasional weekend off road vehicle with a tight budget, or would you reccomend something else?

Yes, you would need a new front drive shaft and being that you have a 2-door, would need a new rear shaft sooner than later as well. You would need to get new longer shocks as well. Last but not least, this is a good kit but, I might actually recommend that you give the newer EVO MFG Enforcer kit a look. You don’t need to get it with the expensive King shocks but rather, just get it with Bilstein 5100’s instead. The drag link flip it comes with is a better way to go.

Mark April 25th, 2013
9:47 am

Hi Eddie,
I have a couple questions for you. You’ve actually answered others regarding this lift, which I installed last year. Since then, I’ve added synergy adjustable lca’s and ball joints I also added Toyo 35×12.5×17 on stock rims. This weekend I plan on adding my new to me, slightly used, Synergy tie rod (my stock is seized up and auto shop couldn’t even loosen with a torch). So, here is my question. I’m pulling to the right and experience some flightiness along with slight shaking over bumps. (I had DW, and found it was the ball joints were shot.) I’m wondering if I should adjust caster, toe and if you think the beefier tie rod would make a difference? Thanks for deciphering my message and reading between the lines on a jeep you know nothing about… have a good one!

Pulling to the right is most likely coming from radial pull and that is common with Toyo’s. I wouldn’t be too concerned with that. Flightiness can be corrected with a bit more positive caster. A beefier tie rod won’t make a difference.

Donald April 29th, 2013
1:36 pm

Great write up. I am looking at the Mopar 2″ lift for my 2012 JK. Cost is high through the dealer. I was looking at this route because of warranty issues. If I go after market will Jeep still cover warranty issues? I heard a lot of no they won’t.

nicholas November 4th, 2013
8:07 am

Hi Eddie I have some questions I have a 2013 jku I put a 3” lift on with front and rear bump stops and moved the sway arm links to the front and got new ones for the rear also got a rear track bar reallocation bracket on the rear and shock extensions all the way around. Do I need anything else. Was wondering if I need a relocation bracket for the front track bar.

You DO NOT want to install a relocation on the front UNLESS you install a draglink flip at the same time. It is critical to do both and, doing so with something like an EVO kit will help improve your handling. Also, with the amount of lift you have on your 13, you will need to get a new u-joint style drive shaft sooner than later.

saud November 20th, 2013
9:58 am

if i installed Full-Traction 3″ Premium Flex Suspension System do i have to change the front drive shaft
i have 4doors jk12 automatic

Admin

All content, text, images and other materials on Project-Jk.com are owned by Project-JK.com and are protected by U.S. copyright laws and therefore, may not be used except with our express written consent. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by us, you may not copy or display or post any content, text, images or other materials offered via Project-JK.com on any network computer, website, bulletin board or any other publicly accessible medium. You must keep intact, and may not remove or alter, any copyright or other proprietary notices on any content, text, images or other materials offered via Project-JK.com.

Project-JK.com is a website was created specifically for the newly redesigned 2007 Jeep JK Wrangler, both 2-door and 4-door Unlimited as well as all its various trim packages such as the Jeep JK Wrangler X, Jeep JK Wrangler Sahara and the cream of the crop, Jeep JK Wrangler Rubicon. And, by virtue of providing the hottest news, aftermarket product press releases, useful technical information, an owners bulletin board forum and the very best how-to write-ups on the web, Project-JK.com has become and always will be the ultimate Jeep JK Wrangler resource on the internet. Some of the information you are sure to find here include detailed information, news and installation write-ups on Jeep JK Wrangler suspension lift kits, control arms, track bars, sway bars, shocks, front bumpers, rear bumpers, rear bumper tire carriers, rocker guards, axles, lockers, drivelines, armor, skid plates, tires, wheels, air systems, roof racks, winches, recovery points, tow hooks, hitch receiver, lighting, CB radios and more for both the 2-door and 4-door Unlimited. You will also find useful step by step maintenance procedures, Jeep JK Wrangler tip and tricks and important vehicle information. Some of the manufacturers we will be sure to highlight on a regular basis include Northridge4x4, Full Traction Suspension, Quadratec, Superior Axle and Gear, Jeeperman, PUREJEEP, AlloyUSA, Reel Drivelines, Precision Gear, Coast Drivelines, LoD Bumpers, Off Road Evolution and just about an aftermarket manufacturer of Jeep JK Wrangler parts, accessories and service. Over the years, Jeeps have become a way of life for us here at Project-JK.com and we’re looking forward to all the changes and developments we are undoubtedly going to see in the many years to come.